Two Roses
by Catori Abbott
Summary: Rose Tyler in her alternate world. Yes, I understand that the Doctor would never actually be able to cross-over again. It's just a 'what if' sort of thing. Rose and the metacrisis 10. One-shot. Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Rose Tyler wasn't one to like flowers very much.  
She also wasn't one for a calm job.  
But at the moment, a florist was the only thing she could find.  
Rose sighed, cutting the bottom off of yet another tulip. She slid the flower into a bouquet, tied it off at the end, and wrapped it all in pink paper. She anxiously looked at her watch, only to see it was only five. Rose slumped back in her seat, staring at the door in hope someone would come in. It was excruciatingly boring to do nothing.  
Finally, the door dinged and in walked a man. A strange sort of man with a bow-tie and suspenders. He sort of looked like a crazy college professor. The man stopped when he saw her, his eyes flashing with something that was gone too fast for her recognize. "Hello." He said in a certain way. "Hi, welcome to Ann's Flowers. May I help you with anything?" She recited perfectly with a smile.  
"Oh. I was... Just..." He looked behind him as if a dinosaur would crash in, "looking for flowers." He said, turning back to her and awkward straightening his bow-tie. Rose smiled in an amused way, "Well, you've found them." She said, lengthening her arms and gesturing to the small shop. There were flowers everywhere. Behind the counter, next to the door, spilling out of the back room: everywhere.  
"I guess I have." He said absently. "I need to get..." He smiled slightly, "a rose." Rose knew that her name was a flower, but hearing this man say it gave her chills... but in a good way. "Alright. How many?" She asked, getting up from her seat and walking over to the roses. "What color?" She then added, seeing there were pink ones, too.  
The man leaned on the counter. "Just one red rose." He said. "Oh, like a gentleman. You know, one rose is the same as a dozen." She said, wondering where she had heard that. It was false of course, a dozen was twelve and one was... one.  
"I guess I could be." He said. She held the rose carefully, grabbing a sheet of paper from the cubby and laying it flat on the counter. She cut off the end and wrapped it up, carefully tying a gold bow around the middle. She grabbed a card and tied it onto the bow loosely. "Who should I make it out to?" She asked.  
The man dropped some money on the counter, far over the amount needed. "To... Rose Tyler." He said. "From... The Doctor."  
Rose stopped, her hand poised above the small tag. Her name, Rose Tyler. From... It couldn't be. She looked up as the door dinged quietly. "No." She whispered, dropping the rose and throwing the small door open.  
She darted out the door and looked around. "Doctor!" She called. He had regenerated... His face was different. Rose, on other circumstances, would have ran out of the store without hesitation. But she knew that if she lost her job... Rose shook her head of those thoughts.  
"Doctor!" She called out again, her hand holding onto the frame to keep her from falling as she leaned up. The familiar _whirring_ of the Tardis started up. Her eyes shot up to the sky, and sure enough, there it was.  
The door hung open, the Doctor was standing at the open door. Rose waved, slowly at first, then wildly as she yelled, "Doctor! Be safe!" He gave her a thumbs up and, even though he was far away, she could see him smiling. Just a little. She smiled up, her waving becoming less wild as she blew a kiss for laughs.  
"What ar- Rose?" someone asked from behind her. She lifted a hand to her face and felt that her cheeks were wet. But it wasn't a sad sort of crying, it was a hopeful sort. Maybe, one day, she could have one more adventure.  
"Sorry." She turned around, seeing _her _Doctor standing and looking at the rose. "Did he-?" He asked. "Yes. But he's gone now." Rose said, walking over to him and throwing her arms around him. "Oh." He said in a small voice. "Don't be like that. He's... different now. I love you anyway." She said with a smile as she looked up at him. He smiled slightly, always in an almost-guarded way. He hugged her tightly. "I was coming to see when you get off." Rose glanced at the time. "It's five." She said with a small smile. "I get off now." She walked behind the counter and grabbed her jacket. She smiled at the rose and picked it up, turning it in her fingers.  
"What a crazy man he is." She whispered. "Well, come on then. Allons-y!" He said with a grin. Rose laughed, linking her arm through his and turning the sign to closed on her way out.  
"I'll be waiting for you. Always, Doctor." She whispered as she locked the door and looked up at the sky.


End file.
